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Artwork for The Secret Lives of Games

The Secret Lives of Games

The Secret Lives of Games
UFO 50
Game Design
Game Development
De Mol
Caves Of Qud
Indie Games
Indie Game Development
Michael Brough
Slice & Dice
Block Koala
Discord
Flemish De Mol
Saltsea Chronicles
Die Gute Fabrik
Strategy Games
Rakshasa
Quibble Race
Spelunky
Star Waspir
Night Manor

Candid conversations with game creators that dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making games.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes279Founded8 years ago
Number of ListenersCategories
Video GamesGamesLeisure

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Artwork for The Secret Lives of Games

Latest Episodes

We chat with Mark Essen (Nidhogg, Wheel World) about his "feverish bullet heaven platformer" Blood Dungeon. We discuss making a small game in the shadow of a bigger project, the constraints it takes to do it sanely, and building on the foundations of... more

We're joined by v buckenham (Downpour, Beasts of Balance), Izzy Kestrel (Electrifying Incident, A Little Game Called Mario), and Bennett Foddy (Baby Steps, QWOP, Getting Over It with Bennett Foddy) to discuss Helix, a spiral-action shmuplike about st... more

We chat with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo, New Yorker, A24) about creating, stewarding, and showrunning a daily crossword for the web-based puzzle phenomenon, Puzzmo. Our discussion covers Puzzmo's first 1,000 days, Brooke's prolific career as a constructor,... more

We're joined by Liz Ryerson (musician, writer, podcaster), Patrick LeMieux (UC Davis), and Andi McClure (BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS, Jumpman) to discuss BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS; a generative art game/tool made in 72 hou... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

V Bucketham
Artist, game designer, and educator
Independent
Episode: All Systems Brough - Helix
Brooke Husic
Puzzmo puzzles editor and co-founder/leader of editorial vision
Puzzmo
Episode: 157: Going Off-Grid with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo Crosswords)
Andi McClure
Co-creator of Become a Great Artist in Just 10 Seconds
Independent
Episode: All Systems Brough - BECOME A GREAT ARTIST IN JUST 10 SECONDS
Laura E. Hall
Guest discussing the De Mol finale and season
Episode: TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 9
Jey Bidoff
Guest discussing the De Mol finale and season
Episode: TSLOG TV Plays De Mol (2026 season) - Episode 9
Tara McAllister
Mathematician, musician, game developer; listener letter writer
Episode: All Systems Brough - Corrypt
Rand Zaga
Guest and author of Rand's amateur Zaga-33 Tips
Episode: All Systems Brough - Zaga-33
Andy Schatz
Indie developer and former IGF host, discussed as potential host and participant
Independent game development
Episode: 155: GDC 2026 LIVE Special!
Ben Rausch
Playtopia program director, Cape Town
Playtopia
Episode: 154: Gathering Community with Ben Rausch and Anja Venter (Playtopia)

Hosts

Rob Dubbin
Host with long-running involvement in the show; engages guests in design-focused conversations
Douglas Wilson
Longstanding host with subject-matter breadth across indie games and design
Andy Nealon
Host bringing organizational continuity and discussion facilitation
Laura Hall
Co-host or guest presenter with strong presence across episodes
Jey Bidoff
Co-host / guest discussion participant with recurring appearances

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 271 ratings
  • Top Tier Game Dev Podcast

    If your game dev media is saturated with technical dev logs, market conditions, and AAA drama—then I’d recommend balancing your diet with a healthy helping of TSLOG (The Secret Lives of Games).

    Take a break from the hype and economics of indie games to dive deep into the art, craft, and process of making them. Hang out with a group of your old buddies you’ve never met, and discover corners of the games world you never knew you were missing.

    A must-listen for indie devs!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    brokmech
    United States4 months ago
  • Good Show

    Makes me undulate happily whenever this comes on. I still don’t fully know why and should check with a doctor, but I think it feels good so I would say overall it’s a consensual experience.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    pdjfjfjk
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • If you love hearing indie devs talk, there's no better podcast.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    ectafoole
    a year ago
  • Impeccable podcast with an impeccable community surrounding an impeccable game (and other games before and after this year). Perfect score.

    Podcast Addict
    5
    Tikwid
    a year ago
  • Been listening a long time

    I remember when this show was about spelunky and I was desperate to listen to people talk about roguelikes. It’s always been a very good games podcast, but the UFO 50 series has changed it entirely. I already liked the hosts. But the guests change the dynamic so much week to week, and it’s a murderers row of literally the best indie devs on the planet. The voicemails, which started as basic call in comments, morphed into a psychedelic fusion of academic criticism and performance art. It’s been g... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Bellinater
    United Statesa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Shows depth and breadth in game design discussions.
Guests are top-tier thinkers in indie games.
High-quality, long-form conversations that go beyond hype.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

157: Going Off-Grid with Brooke Husic (Puzzmo Crosswords)
Q: Could you describe how you approach making crosswords more inclusive and voiced without losing solvability?
The editor's role is to interpret the constructor's voice while keeping solver experience fair and solvable. It involves revising clues, adjusting grid design, and sometimes guiding toward more accessible entry points like hints, while preserving the puzzle's personality.
All Systems Brough - A Chat with Michael
Q: What does it mean for you to be making a game with your full self now?
Michael explains that the process is about integrating past experiences, patience, and a willingness to revisit earlier ideas, allowing a game to emerge from a mature, reflective place rather than a frantic production pace.
150: Making It Great with Kimmo Lahtinen (Sektori)
Q: Is that still a reasonable thing to do?
I think it's a bit of... Maybe it doesn't fit the device that well, but I have been considering it.
150: Making It Great with Kimmo Lahtinen (Sektori)
Q: What was your kind of logic or I guess gut instinct to include all of it all at once?
I wanted to make this a complete game because it's a very niche game and it never got any attention before release.
EP: A Year of UFO 50 - Cyber Owls
Q: Izzy, what is the record?
The world record currently is 15 minutes and 22 seconds.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

Listeners per Episode
Gender Skew
Location
Interests
Professions
Age Range
Household Income
Social Media Reach

Frequently Asked Questions About The Secret Lives of Games

What is The Secret Lives of Games about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A thoughtful, design-forward show that brings together game developers, artists, and educators to explore the craft of making games. Episodes commonly center on design philosophy, input systems, pacing, and platform history, with deep dives into specific titles or tools (from indie roguelikes to generative art tools) and their cultural context. The discussions often balance technical minutiae with broader reflections on creativity, collaboration, and the evolving indie scene, offering both practical insights for creators and a window into the lived practice of game making. A standout trait is the sustained, multi-guest conversations that connect historical precedents to contemporary practices, making it valuable for listeners who want a ric... more

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How many listeners does The Secret Lives of Games get?

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How many subscribers and views does The Secret Lives of Games have?

To see how many followers or subscribers The Secret Lives of Games has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to The Secret Lives of Games?

These podcasts share a similar audience with The Secret Lives of Games:

1. Post Games
2. Triple Click
3. Remap Radio
4. noclip_2cast
5. Side Story

How many episodes of The Secret Lives of Games are there?

The Secret Lives of Games launched 8 years ago and published 279 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

How do I contact The Secret Lives of Games?

Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on The Secret Lives of Games?

Recent guests on The Secret Lives of Games include:

1. V Bucketham
2. Brooke Husic
3. Andi McClure
4. Laura E. Hall
5. Jey Bidoff
6. Tara McAllister
7. Rand Zaga
8. Andy Schatz

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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